The Fox and the Forest by Ray Bradbury

1) Where and when does the story take place? Please mention references from the text.
The story takes place in 1938, as told by one of the characters, William Travis. Moreover, it’s
October, as the author depicts a yellow October sky. It is situated in Mexico, as it is said.
2) Please describe the initial scene. What is going on? (bull)
There’s a foreign couple in Mexico, the Travis, that are enjoying October’s festivities. In it, there
are fireworks, a mock-up bull, like a piñata, carried by Mexicans. What’s more there’s music,
typical Mexican food like tortillas, beer and it’s at night.
3) What do we learn about William and Susan Travis?
They are foreigners, they’re a couple, and they’re escaping from someone, as they don’t want
to be found.
4) Who does Susan recognize and how?
Mr. Simms is a Searcher, a person from the future that’s looking for them. Susan notices him
because he’s surrounded by a lot of different kind of bottles.
5) What memory does the ringing of a phone trigger in Susan?
The ringing of the phone reminded Susan of a phone call she had in 2155, when her friend Rene
talked to her about a company named Travel in time, incorporated; them could sent you back in
time to whenever and wherever you’d like to go.
6) What does Travel in time Inc. offer? What is a psychological bloc?
Travel in time, Inc offers a trip to any time and any place you’d like to go. They’ll also provide
costumes, language training, so you can blend in with the crowd and can’t be noticed.
The psychological bloc is like a seal that the company put in your brain when you travel in time,
in order to not being able to talk about the future in the past, as the past and the future should
be protected from each other. Nobody was allowed to travel to the past without the bloc.
 7) Why did the couple want to escape from their daily lives? What was their present like
then? What did they do for a living?
The couple wanted to escape the future as it was an evil world, a world in war, a world they
didn’t like, where books were burned, thoughts were censored, and minds were scalded with
fear. He worked at a bomb factory and she had a position with disease-culture units. She was
some kind of scientist working with biological weapons.
8) What do we learn about the war taking place then?
The whole world was at war, a war that turned people mad and barbaric. Everyone’s life was at
risk, and they could die due to madness or radioactive bombs.
9) What trip did they buy for their holidays? How did they go about it?
They bought a trip to New York City in the year 1938. After enjoying the theaters and the statue
of liberty, on their third day there, they changed their names and clothes to part to Mexico. On
their first night in New York, they wanted to experience foods, perfumes, drinks, cigarettes,
everything that was scarce in the future, making them ill afterwards.
10) Please retell the short conversation they had with Mr. Simms.
Mr. Simms came over the couple while they were all in a café. He called William Travis by his
real name, Roger Kristen, and told him that he hadn’t pulled up his pant legs when he sat down.
William acted as if Mr. Simms said a different name, Krisler, not Kristen, but Mr. Simms
corrected him again. Then, Mr. Simms said that he had thought he had known him because he
hadn’t pulled his trousers up, as everyone did there, if they didn’t the trousers bagged quickly.
Moreover, he said he wanted company and presented himself. William tells him that they don’t
want company and that they’ll leave for Acapulco the next day. When the couple and Mr.
Simms were coming apart, the latter said: 2155 AD, as if it were some kind of code.
11) How did Mr. Simms confirm they were from the Future? Why?
Mr. Simms confirmed they were from the future because William didn’t pulled his trousers up,
something that was very common those days for that kind of clothing.
12) How can they escape from getting back to the future? How can they protect
themselves?
They can only keep escaping, but in the same time frame, they can’t travel in time without the
intervention of Time in travel, inc. They’ll have to blend in with the crowds, bribe police officers
to keep them alive,
13) What threat do they receive?
They receive a threat on the phone, a voice said “The rabbits may hide in the forest but a fox
can always find them”, as if the couple were going to be chased forever, being the rabbits, and
the searchers will eventually find them, like a fox finds its preys.
14) Why did they decide to put off their trip to Acapulco?
The decide to postpone their trip to Acapulco because of the arrival of an American motion-
picture company to the place. They’d rather stay and watch how films were made, the primitive
film making way.
15) Who is Joe Melton?
Joe Melton is a searcher disguised as a film director from USA, he even has a crew and the gear
to play his part. He offers Susan a role and pretends to know nothing about time traveling when
Mr. Simms is trying to convince them.
16) Language Focus:
- “Mr. Simms was glaring across the room at them”. Please list down verbs of seeing.
look: give attention to what one is seeing; turn the eyes and see in a certain direction.
see: use the power of sight.
watch: look at some activity or event; keep one's eyes fixed on something.
gaze: look at something for a long time, in surprise or admiration.
stare: look at something for a long time with the eyes wide open.
gawk = gawp: stare impolitely.
gape: look at something with one's mouth open.
glance: have a quick look at something.
scan: look quickly at something without careful reading.
glare: stare angrily or fiercely.
glower: look very angry, annoyed or threatening.
peer: look very carefully, as if not able to see well.
peep: look quickly and cautiously.
observe: watch carefully.
glimpse: have a passing view of something or someone. Usually used in the expression to catch
a glimpse of.
spot: recognize someone suddenly among many others.
behold: old use of the verb to see.
view: (technical) look thouroughly; regard, consider.
sight: see for the first time.
leer: look in an unpleasant way, suggesting ill will or lust.
blink: shut and open the eyes quickly.
wink: close one eye briefly, as a signal to somebody.
frown: look in a worried or angry way, moving down the eyebrows together.
scowl: frown angrily.
squint: look with eyes half shut or turned sideways, or through a narrow opening.
peek: look quickly and secretively.
ogle: look or stare (at a woman) suggesting sexual interest.
goggle: look with the eyes wide open in surprise or shock. (old-fashioned)
eyeball: look directly or closely.
take a gander at something: (informal) look at something.
cast an eye on/over something: look at something, examine something.
browse: look through the pages of a book or magazine; look at the goods in a shop without
really wanting to buy anything.
scrutinize: examine thoroughly and carefully.
- Please note the use of the verb To breakfast
“I thought we were breakfasting together, alone.” (By Joe Melton)

17) What deal do they come up with Mr. Simms?

William arranges to go back to the future but his wife, Susan, will stay in the past. He’ll meet
with Mr. Simms in the Plaza 10 minutes after their conversation, he’ll drive to an isolated spot
and the Travel Machine will pick them up there.
18) How does Will prevent them from going back to the future?
William kills Mr. Simms, he runs over him with the car, pretending it was an accident.
19) What are their new plans? What prevents them from leaving right away?
They’ll keep on escaping after the car is repaired, around four o’clock in the afternoon, but they
don’t have a specific destination. They can’t leave right away because their car is being repaired
after the accident that ended with Mr. Simms’ life.
20) What happens next?
Then, a crowd gathers on the street because there’ll be a test for the film. William went to the
garage and he was accounted that the car reparation was delayed until six o’clock. Mr. Melton
invites everyone to have a drink at his room.
21) Please retell the ending.
Mr. Melton starts talking about Susan having the potential to become a movie star and the idea
appeals her, as they’d be traveling and disguising, so they could run away from the Searchers.
Then, Mr. Melton starts telling the story of the film she could star in, and it’s their story, a
couple traveling back in time, escaping from a war in the future, that’s when the couple realize
that he’s a Searcher. William takes out a gun and fires 3 times hitting 3 different men. Then a
camera was carried forward, this was the time machine, because when it shot a blue light
people disappeared, Susan and William, too.
22) How does the title reflect on the story?
The title The fox and the forest lead us to think about the call that Susan had one night, even
though they could run, they’ll be chased as a fox does until it finds its victims.